News Feature

Blue HillOriginally published in
The Weekly Packet, December 19, 2013
Plow stolen from George Stevens Academy School officials would rather see it returned than prosecute

by
Faith DeAmbrose

Just in time for the first measurable snowstorms of the season to come this way, George Stevens Academy reported the theft of a plow from its back parking lot.

Sometime between the late evening hours of Saturday, December 7, and the early morning hours of Sunday, December 8, a relatively new silver-colored Fisher V-plow was stolen from the High Street parking lot, said Assistant Head of School Buzz Moore.

School officials said that GSA’s director of maintenance used his own personal vehicle and plow to clear snow during the nor’easter that came through on Sunday, December 15, but that the school is currently searching for a new plow.

“We are trying to save money,” he said, about the school’s decision to purchase a used pickup truck and plow attachment last fall. While Moore said that the school has historically gotten a “really good deal” on plowing from M.E. Astbury, the purchase was meant to reduce overall expenses. Moore said that after much searching and another “really good deal from Stanley Subaru,” the school purchased the truck with the intention of keeping the plowing responsibilities in-house.

The theft was reported to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, but Moore said he would much rather have the plow returned—no questions asked—than prosecute the theft. “I don’t care who took it,” said Moore, “and if it were to show back up in the middle of the night, I would be fine with that.”

However, given the unlikelihood that the plow will be returned just as mysteriously as it disappeared, Moore said the school is back in the market for a used plow and has been canvasing the state for one. “It is tough this time of year to find used equipment,” said Moore, adding that the money needed to purchase a second plow this year will unfortunately have to come from another place in the budget.